Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 425

Chapter 425

Chapter 425

Madeline’s POV

The moment Marcus and Nate disappeared down the hallway, Annie leaned forward with that conspiratorial smile only pregnant women seem to share with each other.

“So,” she said, lowering her voice like she was about to spill a secret, “how are you dealing with… that?”

“With what?” I asked, pretending not to understand, even as heat rushed to my face.

“Oh, please,” Annie laughed. “You were practically devouring Marcus with your eyes. And considering you’re in the second trimester… well, I’m guessing things are pretty intense over there.”

I sighed, giving up on pretending.

“How did you manage to control yourself?”

“Control myself?” Annie burst out laughing. “Who said I did? Poor Nate had a lot to deal with. Honestly, he still does.”

She gave me a wicked wink, and I couldn’t help laughing too.

“Seriously?”

“Completely. Some days I wake up and he can barely make it out of bed to go to work,” she said with a mischievous smile. “Second-trimester hormones are no joke. It’s like your body decides it needs to make up for all the months you weren’t allowed to drink wine.”

“And how do you… I mean, isn’t it weird with the belly and…?”

“Madeline, there are positions for that,” Annie said matter-of-factly. “And Nate is very… creative when necessary.”

My face burned, but at the same time I felt a huge sense of relief being able to talk about it so openly.

“It’s just that with Marcus, I’m still… figuring things out. Sometimes I feel like I’m going crazy with desire, but at the same time I get insecure about how he sees me now, with my body changing and all…”

“Oh, please,” Annie cut in. “Did you see the way he was looking at you during dinner? That man was barely holding himself back from jumping you right there in front of us.”

“You think so?”

“I’m sure of it. Marcus has always been very… intense when he likes something. Actually, it’s not just people. Work, hobbies, anything. I remember when we were together and he decided he had to beat Christian at tennis. It was all he talked about.”

Something about the way she said that made my brow crease.

“When you were together?”

Annie froze mid-reach for her glass of water, and I saw a flash of alarm cross her face.

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“I mean…” she started, then stopped, clearly realizing she’d said something she shouldn’t have.

An uncomfortable silence settled between us. Something cold spread through my chest, a familiar feeling of distrust I knew all too well.

“You and Marcus… did you have something?” I asked, my voice coming out quieter than I meant it to.

Annie closed her eyes for a moment, as if scolding herself internally.

“He didn’t tell you, did he?”

The silence was answer enough.

“Listen,” Annie said quickly, leaning forward. “It’s in the past, okay? It was before Nate, and it wasn’t even anything serious. Today I like him almost like a brother. I want him to be happy. And honestly, Madeline, you’re really good for him.”

But her words sounded distant, like they were coming from far away. My mind was already racing toward the dark places I knew all too well. Dominic and Vivian. Secrets. Lies by omission. That familiar feeling of always being the last to know the important things.

“I don’t know if it’s that simple,” I murmured, staring down at my hands.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t even know what we are,” I confessed, all the insecurities I’d been holding back spilling out at once. “I mean, we only got married because of a contract. I don’t know if what I’m feeling is real or if it’s just… convenience.”

Annie looked at me gently.

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clearly attracted to each other. You’re sleeping together…”

“I cut in, an inexplicable wave of embarrassment washing over me. “Not since the Maldives.”

w literally dropped.

at? Seriously? But you’ve been living together for two months!”

“I know,” I sighed. “I always pull away at the last second. I don’t even know why.”

Annie fell quiet for a moment, processing that.

“My God, Madeline,” she finally said. “I have no idea how you’re managing to restrain yourself during this phase. I’d be climbing the walls.”

“That’s just it,” I said, feeling tears of frustration start to gather. “This need I feel… is it just hormones? Or is it him? Annie, I wish I could understand it. I wish I could be sure I’m not just using him to satisfy something my body is craving. That I’m not just using him because… because he’s keeping me and the baby safe.”

Annie watched me for a long moment before answering.

“Can I give you some advice?” she asked softly.

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I nodded.

“Life is already complicated enough without you adding extra layers of worry,” she said with a small smile.” Trust me, I’m speaking from experience. I spent months torturing myself over what I felt for Nate. Analyzing every emotion, every reaction, trying to uncover the ‘truth’ behind it all.”

“And what happened?”

“I realized I was wasting precious time. Everything gets lighter when you just allow yourself to… live. Maybe that’s what you two need. Not labels or deep analysis, but simply being together and seeing where it leads.”

“But what if I’m confusing physical attraction with real feelings?”

“And what if you are?” Annie shrugged. “And what if you’re not? What matters is that you’re good together right now. That you’re building something, even if you don’t yet know exactly what it is.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes. Me turning her words over in my mind, her giving me the space to do it.

“About Marcus and me,” Annie said at last. “It really is in the past, Madeline. It lasted a few months and it was never official. Nothing compared to what he so clearly feels for you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know him. And I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. I’ve never seen him so… present with someone.”

Before I could reply, we heard male voices coming down the hallway. Marcus and Nate were on their way back.

“Think about what I said,” Annie whispered quickly. “Sometimes the best thing we can do is stop overthinking and just… let ourselves fall.”

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